Lagos to absorb graduates of Ready.Set.Work

Plans are underway by the Lagos State government to recruit some of the newly graduated participants of the Ready.Set.Work (RSW) training programme.

The entrepreneurship programme was organised by the Ministry of Education to improve employability and entrepreneurial skills of final year students in the state-owned tertiary institutions.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, said this in his remarks at the graduation of 422 undergraduates, who successfully completed the 13-week training programme. Two final year students of the Lagos State College Of Health Technology, Yaba, won the maiden “Business Pitch Competition,” with their innovative business idea-generating biogas from cow dung.

With this innovation the team in addition to winning the N1m seed funding and N100 monthly working capital for the duration of six months, also received N5m extra donated by the governor.

“RSW programme was conceived as a capacity building initiative, targeted at final year students in Lagos State tertiary institutions, with a vision to ensure our graduates emerge as ready products for the increasingly competitive labour market, and more importantly, as job creators.

“In the face of ongoing economic challenges, this is a time to push ahead with the same strength and focus that brought you to this point, and to pursue with vigour, the knowledge, skills, and ideas formed in you over the last three months. As pilots and ambassadors of RSW, you must uphold the positive values of decorum, respect, and self-management. As a government we would open access to recruit some of the graduates of this initiative.”

Commending the companies and corporate organisations that provided funding and technical support for the success of the scheme, he stated that his administration believes strongly that the future of the state, and the country at large, lies in the hands of its youths.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, in his remarks stated that the programme was a response to series of complaints on the quality of graduates churned out of various institutions in the country.

He added that with well-equipped and adequately prepared graduates, the state and the nation at large would continue to prosper in its endeavours.

Managing director of SystemSpecs, one of the partners of the RSW programme Mr. John Obaro, challenged government at all levels to replicate the project, and also endeavour to provide enabling environment for youths to thrive.

Obaro in a chat with The Guardian at the event noted that Nigerian youths are smart and ingenious, adding that it is only the right environment that would bring out the resourcefulness in them.

“Many of our youths are waiting for opportunities. They are full of energy and smart. This is the reason they record huge successes once they leave the shores of this country. We need to begin to change our orientation as well as encourage our youths.”